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Parent Handbook: Types of Student Loans

Before you or your student take out a student loan, you should know the differences between the types of loans available.

See more tips to help families of students in grades 6–12 prepare for success in college and other postsecondary options in the Parent Handbook.

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Parent Handbook: How Student Loans Work

If a student in your life is headed to college, they may be relying on financial aid to cover some or all of the cost of attendance, including federal or private loans. Here's a primer on how these loans work.

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Financial aid letters may include more money — through federal loans — than students or families need, and it's not always clear that students and parents don't need to accept the loans or the full amount of all loans.

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Borrowing to pay for some college costs is a reality for the majority of students. For those students and their families, researching options and knowing what to expect, though, can help ensure responsible borrowing for college.